Third baseman Travis Shaw slugged the first two home runs of his major league career and had four RBIs as the Boston Red Sox overcame another shaky start from Joe Kelly in an 11-7 win over the Tampa...

Probe continues into East Kingston police station break-in

By JASON SCHREIBERUnion Leader Correspondent

EAST KINGSTON — State and local authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding a break-in at the East Kingston Police Department allegedly carried out by an inmate working at the station.

Associate Attorney General Jane Young said Tuesday that her office is still working on the investigation with the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department and the Rockingham County Attorney’s Office.

“It remains ongoing. At this time I still cannot predict when our investigation will be completed,” Young said.

Young said the town and members of the police department have been cooperative during the probe.

The Attorney General’s Office announced in early August that a criminal investigation was under way to determine whether any members of the police department could be held criminally liable following the burglary that occurred on May 11.

Police Chief Reid Simpson and Cpl. Mark Iannuccillo were placed on paid administrative leave last month pending the multi-agency investigation that began after inmate “trusty” Jarred Brisbois allegedly broke into the evidence room when he was left alone at the police department.

Young has said her office is conducting a “comprehensive review” of the department to see if anyone engaged in any criminal conduct.

Selectmen placed Simpson and Iannuccillo on leave around the same time the Attorney General’s Office joined the investigation, but Young has said that doesn’t necessarily mean they are the ones being targeted.

According to County Attorney James Reams, neither Simpson nor Iannuccillo were working at the police station when the break-in occurred, but the two were the only ones with keys to the evidence room.

Brisbois, 20, was indicted last month on charges connected to burglary. He is accused of stealing heroin from the evidence room and later bringing it into the jail.

The theft allegedly occurred when he was left alone while performing maintenance work as a trusted inmate through the jail’s trusty program.

County prosecutors have also said Brisbois broke into an officer’s locker and drove a police cruiser while he was alone.

The trusty program has come under fire in the wake of the East Kingston incident and problems involving trusties at other police departments over the years.